Real Madrid manager, Jose Mourinho has responded to the criticism directed at Kylian Mbappe, asserting that the French player has become more of a problem than a solution for the club.
Mbappe ascended to joint-fifth place on the all-time Champions League scoring list after he scored the opening goal in a 2-1 win against Inter Milan on Tuesday.
However, he faced boos from the home crowd at the Bernabeu.
Critics have pointed to his insufficient defensive contributions, but Mourinho defended him.
Mbappe is a contender for this year’s Ballon d’Or, having netted 42 goals in 44 matches for his club last season.
He is the tree with a lot of fruit,” Mourinho said of Mbappe during his press briefing ahead of Real Madrid game against Rayo Vallecano.
“Obviously a player who scores more than 40 goals for a team is never a problem.
“I saw Kylian giving it his all. He was defending like an animal, even when he had nothing left. His attitude is incredible. It is a joy for me to see a player like that.”
Despite Mbappe’s scoring prowess, Real Madrid did not secure any trophies last season and Spanish football analyst Guillem Balague suggested that this might be one of the reasons behind the fans’ discontent.
LaLiga: ‘I saw him defending like animal’ – Mourinho speaks on Mbappe being Real Madrid’s problem